RMAC SHOOTOUT BRACKET
PUEBLO, Colo. (February 26, 2016) — Friday's scenario was simple for the Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball team in their regular season finale against Western State Colorado University: win and you're in.
The Pack responded to the challenge with a resounding 97-64 victory versus the Mountaineers to punch their ticket to their fourth straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Shootout appearance.
In a game that featured more dimes and dunks than drama, CSU-Pueblo (16-12 overall, 12-10 RMAC) took control of Friday's contest early, jumping out to a 17-2 lead over the Mountaineers (6-22 overall, 5-17 RMAC) six minutes into the first half following a basket by sophomore Will Newman (G, Lawndale, Calif.)
The Pack, who never trailed and led by as many as 49 points at the 12:36 mark of the second half, poured it on as they shot a sizzling 51.5 percent from the floor, including 58.3 percent (21-of-36) in the first half to build a 53-19 advantage.
Defensively, the 19 points for Western State was the second lowest scoring output the Pack defense allowed in a half this season, just shy of the 17 first-half points CSU-Pueblo limited South Dakota Mines to Jan. 5.
Senior guard Odessa Lear (F, Parkhill, Colo.), one of three CSU-Pueblo seniors honored Friday alongside Alex Merriex (G, Parkhill, Colo.) and Chris Golden (G, Milwaukee, Wis.), led the way for the Pack with a game-high 22 points on an economical 8-of-9 shooting (88.9%. Lear completed his double-double with a game-high 11 rebounds in just 23 minutes of playing time for his seventh double-double of the season.
Four additional Pack players cracked double-figures as Golden and Gavin Ligget (G, Limon, Colo.) each tallied 15 points, while juniors Nelson Kahler (C, Noosa Heads, Australia) and Braydon Kuiper (Wasilla, Alaska) added 13 points and 11 points, respectively.
Kahler totaled three blocks to bring his regular seaon total to 64, a mark good for the block title in the RMAC this season.
CSU-Pueblo, which qualifies for the RMAC Shootout as the No. 8 seed, will now look to play tournament Cinderella as the Pack travel to take on top-seeded No. 8 Fort Lewis (24-3 overall, 19-3 RMAC) at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The ThunderWolves have now appeared in four RMAC tournaments in the five seasons under head coach Ralph Turner. In the three previous appearances, the Pack own a 1-3 record. CSU-Pueblo and Fort Lewis will meet in the first round of the RMAC Shootout for the third straight season. In 2014-15 the Pack hosted FLC and won 72-63. The ThunderWolves lost on the road to the Skyhawks in 2013-14 by the score of 79-68.
- 30 –
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
